Furnace-charging apparatus



.(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. MQOO'NNELL & W40. BURNS. FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

No. 577,776. Patented Feb. 23, 1 97.

PHQTOUTND" WASKINGTON o c (no Mode 1.) a Sheos-Sheet 3. N. MOOONNELL &; W. C. BURNS. FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

II IVENTOR5 Patented Feb. 23, 1897.

m5 nonms FEYERS co, PNOTO-UTHO wAswumoN u WITNESSES NIVEN MCCONNELL, OF MUNHALL, AND WILLIAM C. BURNS, OF HOME- STEAD, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE-CHARGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,7? 6, dated February 23, 1897.

. Application filed April 5, 1898. Serial No. 469,167- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, NIVEN McCoNNELL, of Munhall, and WILLIAM G. BURNS, of Homestead, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnace-Charging Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved charging apparatus. Fig. 2 is a rear end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing apparatus of .modified construction embodying our invention. Fig. 4 is a detail View of an attachment for the apparatus designed to enable the charging of ingots.

The object of our invention is to provide an improved apparatus for charging furnaces, such as open-hearth furnaces or heating-furnaces. Prior machines have been defective, either by reason of lack of capacity to distribute the metalcharge evenly in the furnace and to accommodate themselves to the varying height of the charge as it is piled upon the hearth or because of the use of cumbrous machinery and the difficulty experienced in shifting it laterally from one furnace to another.

In the drawings, 2 represents the jib or carriage of our improved apparatus, consisting of a framework of beams mounted upon wheels 3, set upon an overhead track 4, which we have shown supported by posts 5 in front of the line of furnaces intended to be charged. This jib may be moved back and forth on its track by means of a motor 6, supported on the jib and connected with one of the axles 7 of the wheels 3. Said motor is preferably an electric motor supplied with electric current by means of suitable conductors. (Not shown.) The metal-carrying device, which introduces the charge into the furnace, is supported by a stirrup or trolley 8, consisting of a suspended upright frame composed of metal beams or bars supported by suitable slidebearings 9, enabling it to be moved back and forth longitudinally on the jib.

In order to effect the longitudinal motion of the trolley, we employ a motor which consists, preferably, of a stationary cylinder 10,

the water connections.

end in a collar 12, pivoted by trunnions 13 to the frame of the trolley, so as to be radially movable vertically. Such vertical movement is effected by an upright lifting-cylinder 14, carried by the trolley and having a plunger 15, the end of which is pivotally connected by a bolt 16 with a stirrup 17, carrying at its lower end a collar 18, which is pivotally connected thereto by trunnions 19 and surrounds the bar 12, enabling the latter to be rotated on its longitudinal axis. Such rotation of the bar 12 on its longitudinal axis is effected by a suitable motor, preferably constructed and arranged as follows:

21 22 are upright cylinders set at the rear end of the trolley-frame and having projecting pistons or plungers 23 24, which move reciprocally to each other, one being retracted while the other is projected. The ends of these plungers are connected by wire ropes or other flexible connections 25 to a pulley or pulleys 26, fixed to the bar 12, so that on actuating these motors, projecting one plunger and retracting the other, the bar is caused to rotate a semirevolution.

The apparatus is supplied with motive fluid, preferably water, by means of supply and exhaust pipes 27, each of which consists of two pipes telescopically fitted together, so that they can be extended or contracted, and provided with swivel-joints 28 29 at their connection with the main pipes on the ground and the main supply and exhaust pipes on thejib, respectively, so that as the jib is moved laterally back and forth in front of a furnace said pipes will be correspondingly extended and contracted, so as to accommodate such movement without interruption of Asshown in Fig. 1,

the inner pipe is closed at its upper end, and the outer pipe forms a jacket which moves over the inner pipe and thence is curved upwardly to the swivel-j oint. The pipes communicate by means of perforations in the inner pipe. The supply and exhaust pipes 27 extend to a valve 30 on the trolley through telescopic water connections 31 of usual construction, and from said valves pipes lead to the motors 14, 21, and 22, and telescopic pipes 32 also lead thence to the motor 10, so that by operation of the valve-levers 33 the workman who rides on the trolley may actuate said motors so as to cause the trolley to travel back and forth on the jib or to lift the bar 12 or to rotate it on its longitudinal axis, as before explained. The electrical switch of the motor 6 may also be placed within convenient reach of this operator, so that without leaving his post he may control said motor and may cause the jib to travel back and forth on its track.

The telescoping of the pipes 27 enables the apparatus to be moved back and forth before a single furnace without interrupting the water connection, but in order to give it a greater range of movement, so as to enable it to be used in charging a series of furnaces, we make the swivel-joint at the lower end of the pipes 27 easily detachable from the waterpipes on the ground and place ground valvecontrolled water connections in front of such furnace. If desired, the pipes 27 may be provided with detachable swivel-joints at their upper ends, in which case there would be a telescopic pipe at each furnace. When one furnace has been charged, the pipes 27 are detached from the water connection and the apparatus moved laterally to another furnace and reconnected.

Each of the boxes which carries the charge of metal for the furnaces has on its outer side a socket 34, open at one side and made of internally-flaring or dovetail form, and the end of the bar 12 is provided with a head 34, of corresponding form, adapted to fit in said socket. Two of these boxes are set on each car, with the open sides of the sockets facing each other.

The operation is as follows: The boxes 35, charged with metal for the furnaces, are placed upon cars 36, one of which is drawn into position in front of the furnace 37, into which the charge is to be delivered. The charging apparatus is then moved onits track opposite to the furnace-door and the bar 12 advanced until its head is directly between the sockets of the two boxes. Then by moving the apparatus laterally the head is caused to enter the socket of one of the boxes and to be connected thereby to the box. The bar 12 is then lifted by the cylinder 14 in order to raise the box from the car, and the trolley is advanced until the box is within the furnacedoor above the hearth. The bar 12 is then rotated by means of the cylinders 21 22, the effect of which is to invert the box and to discharge its contents into the furnace. The bar carrying the emptied and inverted box is then withdrawn by means of the cylinder 10,

'gots, &c., into heating-furnaces.

and is turned to bring the box into upright position. Then the emptied box is deposited on the car and the head 34 disengaged, and then the bar is turned back one half-revolution by a full stroke of the cylinders 21 22, and is then moved laterally so as to enter the socket of the adjacent box which is introduced into the furnace, as above described, and is there inverted by again turning the bar. The box is then withdrawn and deposited on the car, a new car carrying boxes is brought in front of the furnace, and the operations above described are repeated until the furnace has received its proper charge. As the heap of material on the f urnace-hearth becomes higher, the bar 12 may be lifted to clear it by means of the cylinder 14, so that hand-labor in charging the furnace is entirely avoided.

In the modified construction of apparatus shown in Fig. 3 the bar 12, instead of being pivoted at the rear end, is pivoted at a middle point 19, the turning-cylinders 21 and 22 are connected with the middle portion of the bar, and the lifting-cylinder 14 is applied to the rear end of the bar. By reason of its situation at this place it is arranged so that by downward projection of its plunger it will raise the box end of the bar and that by raising the plunger the box will be lowered. The operation otherwise is the same as that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

By providing either form of the apparatus with suitable grippers and gripper-actuating mechanism it may be used for charging in- This is illustrated in Fig. 4, in which 40 represents a head having pivoted thereto gripper-jaws 41 and provided with projecting operating arms or levers 42. The gripper-head 40 is formed with a socket adapted to be engaged by the head 34, and when the gripper-head has been fitted to the end of the bar 12 the arms 42 are connected by links 41 to a sliding collar 43 on said bar. The collar 43 is adapted to be moved longitudinally by means of a motor, (not shown,) and by such longitudinal motion it operates the jaws 41, opening or closing them to release or seize an ingot.

The advantages of our invention will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. By mounting the jib or carriage on an overhead track instead of causing it to run upon groundtracks, as heretofore, the apparatus is not apt to be obstructed by material lying upon the mill-floor. The means which we use for turning the bar 12 are also of great advantage, and by the use of boxes having a socket open at the side for engaging the bar trouble heretofore experienced in connecting the bar to the boxes is avoided.

We claim 1. In charging apparatus, the combination of a carrying-box, having a socket open at the side, and a rotatory carrying-bar having a head adapted to enter said socket laterally; substantially as described.

IIO

2. In charging apparatus, the combination of a carrying-box, having a socket open at the side, and a rotatory carrying-bar having a head adapted to enter said socket laterally, said head and socket being dovetailed; substantially as described.

3. In charging apparatus, the combination with a rotatory carrying-bar, adapted to engage sockets on the carrying-boxes, of a car bearing two boxes having sockets open at opposite sides respectively, substantially as described.

4. In charging apparatus, the combination with a rotatory carrying-bar, adapted to engage sockets on the carrying-boxes, of a car bearing two boxes having sockets open at opposite sides respectively, said bar being rotatory in both directions a semirevolution; substantially as described.

5. I11 charging apparatus, the combination with a rotatory carrying-bar, of two motors comprising upright cylinders and plungers adapted to move in opposite directions and connected With said bar by flexible connections and telescopically-connected supplypipes having end swivel-joints and arranged forth thereon, a carrying-bar supported by the trolley, and a liftingcylinder and a turning-cylinder also carried by the trolley said turning-cylinder being arranged to rotate the carrying-bar upon its own axis; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

NIVEN MCCONNELL WILLIAM C. BURNS.

WVitnesses:

W. B. CoRWIN, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL. 

